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A related and even worse ritual was the mother biting off the tip of her new born baby’s little finger to ensure a long life.

These practices have been banned although some older women in the Dani tribe can still be seen missing the upper parts of their fingers.

Turning of the bones

Famadihana is practiced in Madagascar (Image: Getty Images)

Known as ‘Famadihana’ and practiced among the Malagasy people of Madagascar, the bones of their ancestors are taken out of the family crypt every seven years, dusted down and dressed in fresh clothing, before their surviving relatives dance with the corpses.

It’s a big family occasion, with live music and a lot of drinking.

Although seen as an important form of ancestral worship and still allowed, the tradition is on the decline.

Funeral stripping

In Taiwan, stripping isn't uncommon at funerals (Image: Getty)

To end on a lighter note, Taiwan has a funeral practice that you are sadly unlikely to see in the UK: funeral stripping.

Trucks, converted to moving stages, follow the cortege, with strippers gyrating and revealing themselves in ways you would not expect to witness on such a sombre occasion.

It is said that the practice is designed to appease the wandering spirits although cynics believe it is done to ensure a big turnout for the funeral, as the larger the crowd, the greater the chances of success in the afterlife.

Funeral strippers are also found in some parts of China but the government there has stamped down on the practice because it violates ‘public security regulations’.

The Corpse Lodging by E.J. Henry (Endeavour Press) is available now in print, priced £7.99 or as an eBook, priced £2.99. Visit www.ejhenry.co.uk